


Three Simple Words

by AriaofYlisse



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Niles has commitment issues, Niles is scared to say I love you, Sappy, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-14 04:47:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17501849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AriaofYlisse/pseuds/AriaofYlisse
Summary: When Niles gets a mild injury on the battlefield, Corrin's true feelings come spilling forth. But does the thief that has stolen his heart feel the same? Can Niles finally tear down his walls and let Corrin in, completely?Sappy love confessions and feels ahead my friends.





	Three Simple Words

His summons from the middle prince of Nohr was a bit unexpected, mostly because it came right after he had been cleared by the clerics in the infirmary. Today’s battle had put him in a rather tight situation and he had barely made it out alive. If Odin hadn’t been there to block the blow from that ruffian, he could have very well been dead. Lord Leo had insisted he visit the medical tent as a precaution, which he admitted was a smart idea—although he had miraculously made it out of that scramble with nothing more than a gash and a bruise, it could have easily been more.

It was getting late, and usually Lord Corrin would hold a short meeting with his council before heading to bed after a big battle like this. But that wasn’t the case tonight it seemed. His lord had informed him that he would be turning in for the night and that he was free to go. It was only soon after that Jakob had come by the infirmary, a scathing look on his face along with a short message from the butler’s liege. Providing he cleared clerical inspection, Niles was to report to the prince’s tree house.

He made his way through the darkening grounds towards the prince’s abode. He was a bit wary of this sudden call—Lord Corrin and him had been... _involved_ with each other for the past few months, but both of them had agreed to keep their relationship a secret. Afterall, there would be many Nohrian royals gunning for his head if they were to find out he had tainted their precious Corrin.

But his summons today were not the least bit secretive.

He reached the tree house and climbed the winding staircase. To his surprise, neither Felicia or Jakob were there to let him in as they usually did. He took a step forward and knocked on the door. It swung open in front of him before he could even call out.

Lord Corrin stood in the doorway. He was already out of his armor, dressed instead in a simple shirt and leggings. Niles allowed himself a moment to appreciate the prince’s slim form, no longer hidden beneath layers of armor. He very rarely got to see the prince in casual clothes, so he had to savor every moment.

The prince looked...upset? For once, the Nohrian prince’s face was hard to read—a deep river of emotions flickering in his eyes. Niles gave an awkward bow and tilted his head in question.

“You called for me, milord?”

The prince gave a nod and ushered him inside quickly.

Niles allowed himself to be pushed inside the room, but rose an eyebrow when Corrin locked the door behind them.

“ _That_ excited to get me out of my pants, huh?” he teased, reaching for the prince.

The glare he received in return made him stop.

“How bad is it?” The prince finally spoke.

“How bad is...what?” Niles asked in confusion.

Lord Corrin let out a frustrated noise that Niles would’ve found much more cute if it wasn’t followed by another upset glare.

“You were injured, were you not? How bad is it?” the prince asked.

Niles was a bit surprised—it really wasn’t a big deal, he’d fought many, more dangerous opponents before. But the prince seemed very concerned.

The archer shrugged. “I got a little banged up, but it wasn’t a big deal. I’m alive, aren’t I?”

Corrin made another sour face.

“I wish you wouldn’t be so casual about it...from what I heard you were limping off the battlefield.”

It was Niles’ turn to make a face.

“Oh please,” he scoffed. “I get one little scratch on my leg and it hurts a little—is that so bad? It felt all better once they wrapped it up. Seriously, don’t worry about me so easily. I’m not made of glass y’know.”

“I never said you were made of glass Niles, I just—I don’t know what I would do...if something were to happen to you.”

Niles’ heart fluttered at those words but he chose to ignore it.

“You’d be fine without me,” Niles assured. “You have many capable soldiers out there who would do anything for your cause.”

Corrin shook his head. “You know that’s not what I meant…”

“Lord Corrin—“

The prince interrupted, “Corrin. It’s just Corrin when we are like this, remember?”

The Nohr noble took a step closer to Niles, gently grabbing one of his hands in his own.

“Corrin, what are you…?” Niles stumbled for words as Corrin brought Niles’ hand to his face and nuzzled into it.

His ruby eyes shimmered with tears as he confessed, “I think...I’m in love with you, Niles.”

Niles visibly flinched at the sudden confession. He gently pulled his hand away from the prince and took a step back. The prince’s face seem fragile and cracked from Niles’ reaction, but the outlaw couldn’t let that phase him—no matter how much it made his heart squeeze painfully.

“You’re exaggerating, milord...surely you don’t mean that. Why would you love a foul thing like me?” Niles said, trying to convince himself as much as the prince.

More tears spilled down Corrin’s cheeks as he smiled sadly.

“You’re not foul, Niles. And how else could I explain these feelings…? Why else would I feel like I can’t live without you?” he said in a small voice.

Niles was at a loss for words. He had never thought someone would say those words to him. He had planned a cold and lonely life for himself, long, long ago. He couldn’t look at him—he didn’t know what he would end up saying if he did.

Then the prince said something, so quietly that Niles almost didn’t catch it.

“You don’t have to love me back…”

That snapped something inside him. He reached for Corrin’s shoulders suddenly, startling him. Single blue met twin red. Words came tumbling out of his mouth before he could tell them not to.

“ _What_? Of _course_ I do. Like _hell_ if a smart, beautiful, charming prince like you should settle for some scum who doesn’t love you back,” the words spilled.

Corrin was quiet, shocked a moment at the sudden outburst. He wiped some of his tears messily before looking back down at his feet.

“So...you don’t love me back?” he asked timidly, afraid of the answer.

“I...didn’t say that…” Niles said quietly.

He could hear the prince’s breath hitch for a moment, but he couldn’t meet his eyes. His hands slid down Corrin’s trembling shoulders, hesitating before grasping his hands in a shaky grasp.

“Niles…?”

He finally looked up. Corrin’s eyes still glittered with tears, trails from them streaked down his porcelain skin. The river of emotions Niles had seen in Corrin’s eyes when he’d walked in had swelled into an ocean. And yet somehow, they had become easier to read. There was so much uncertainty, fear, and sadness swimming in their depths, and it made Niles’ gut wrench. How was it that seeing such broken looks on others was so satisfying, and yet with Corrin...He only wanted to see him smile.

“I think...I feel the same way,” Niles confessed. “And that scares me. I...I don’t know how to love things properly. I don’t want to hurt you, Corrin.”

The prince’s eyes brightened, a beacon of hope shining through a deep ocean. He smiled sadly and lifted his hand to the thief’s scruffy face. He fondly stroked thick strands of white hair from Niles’ eyes, caressing him with the gentlest of touch.

Corrin smiled again as he spoke. “I love you, Niles. Even if you hurt me, that fact will never change.”

That was it. That was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

There would be no going back now.

Never before had such softly said words affected him so much. He felt himself moving forward on impulse, his arm wrapping around Corrin’s waist to pull him close as his other hand cupped the back of his head. Corrin’s mouth was slightly parted, about to ask what he was doing when Niles’ lips met his in a heated rush. The prince whined as their lips and tongues made contact, his own hands clinging to the front of Niles’ shirt. This was not their first kiss, nor their first one filled with such passion, but it was different, special just the same.

When the two reluctantly pulled their lips apart, they couldn’t tear their eyes away from the other. Corrin looked up into Niles’ deep blue eye with such love and adoration, the same love and adoration that Niles looked back into his shining rubies with. They couldn’t move for a moment, lost completely to the other’s gaze as their foreheads gently rested together.

Niles was the first to break the silence.

“Why me? Why _me_ of all people?” he asked.

The prince smiled a smile that could warm all of Nohr and Hoshido combined, his hands coming up to Niles’ face again to gently caress the rare pinkish tint on the outlaw’s cheeks. Corrin laid a sweet kiss to his lips before he spoke.

_“Because_ it’s you. I didn’t fall in love with just another person—I fell in love with _you_. Because you’re loyal and strong. Because you make me laugh and make my heart flutter. Because you treat me as an equal and not as a perfect leader who makes no mistakes. Because you make me forget about what’s happened in the past and appreciate the present. Because I love you, and I want you to know that no matter how you see yourself, you will always be enough for me.”

Niles was speechless. Nothing he could say would ever let Corrin know what those words had meant to him. All he could think to do was wrap his arms around the prince’s thin frame in a crushing hug, his face buried in his love’s sweet smelling neck. He didn’t want to ever let him go.

Niles could feel Corrin smiling against his chest as he said again, “I love you, Niles.”

“I love you too,” he replied without hesitation.

Three simple words, words Niles had never thought he’d ever say, let alone hear. Those words had been a source of bitterness for much of his life.

But not anymore.

Those three words he’d thought he would never say came to him so naturally that there could be no denial.

He loved him, he truly did.

**Author's Note:**

> There will never be enough Niles x Corrin to sate my hunger. Thanks for reading and please leave a review if you liked it!


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